6 Things Galaxy Note 4 Does That iPhone 6 Can't

Al Sacco |
Nov. 6, 2014

The Apple iPhone 6 and Galaxy Note 4 are two of the hottest smartphones available, but they each have their own individual strengths and weaknesses. Here are six ways the Galaxy Note 4 outperforms the iPhone 6.

Both the Note 4 and iPhone 6 are high-end, cutting-edge devices packed with valuable and unique features. They're two of the best smartphones available today, which is why they've found homes in my pockets.

Neither device is perfect, though. When you use them alongside each other, their individual strengths and weaknesses quickly become apparent.

The following list details six things the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 does that the iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus can't do -- or at least can't do as well.

(Note: The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are nearly identical, with three exceptions. The iPhone 6 Plus is notably bigger, the iPhone 6 screen resolution is lower than the 6 Plus screen, and the iPhone 6 Plus has an optical image stabilization camera feature that the iPhone 6 lacks. Unless otherwise stated, the conclusions I make about iPhone 6 can also be applied to the iPhone 6 Plus.)

1) Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the S PenWhen Samsung originally announced its first Galaxy Note smartphone in the summer of 2011, the defining feature was its size. During the years since, the Galaxy Note family created a whole new "phablet" product category. The concept was largely ridiculed at first, but it's been further legitimized by Apple's September 2014 announcement of the similarly sized iPhone 6 Plus.

The Galaxy Note 4's size no longer sets it apart from the pack. Now it's the S Pen that stands out. The S Pen has always been a part of the Galaxy Note experience, but the Note 4 S Pen is evolved and enhanced, and its integration with Samsung's customized Android OS makes it unique.

Samsung says the latest S Pen, when used with the Note 4, is significantly more sensitive than earlier versions; users can do more with it, with more precision. Specifically, the S Pen now supports more than 2,000 levels of pressure sensitivity, compared to approximately 1,000 levels in earlier versions, according to Samsung.

The S Pen can be used for quick and precise on-screen navigation, not unlike how you use a mouse with a desktop computer. The pen also lets you "write" on the Note's display; the experience is surprisingly similar to writing on paper. You can easily select, cut and paste text using the S Pen. The S Pen's on-screen menu lets you quickly look up definitions for words and search your device for specific content. It's also easy to drag and drop applications, images and more from one place to another using the S Pen.